As humanitarian agencies begin to grapple
with the scope of the massive earthquake that has hit Japan and continue
to struggle helping the displaced people of Haiti and Pakistan after natural
disasters there, and as political turmoil unfolds in North Africa, there
is now a need more than ever for protection in the humanitarian world.
I've always been a strong advocate of protection, so this recent call for
increased action should make me confident.

Disasters, whether triggered by natural
hazards or human behavior or by the interaction between the two, affect
millions of people for long periods of time. Often the effects last for
decades after the disaster has long disappeared from our headlines and
evening news.

Comparisons between the response to the
Haitian earthquake and to Pakistan's floods are perhaps inevitable, as
these major tragedies occurred within seven months of each other. Much
of the commentary has focused on possible reasons for the disproportionate
donor response to the two disasters.